Guest Post: 10 Benefits of Marijuana as an Alternative Medicine

Every year, roughly 100,000 people die globally after taking prescription pills. Who can think of even one person dying after using marijuana? Just one? Recreationally or medicinally? There is not a single case. Nowhere. Not even one. In 10,000 years of man’s use of marijuana, not a single death is attributable to it. In fact, the benefits of smoking pot outweigh the cons, and weed is actually good for you.

Health Benefits of Marijuana in California

It is possible to die from taking too much aspirin. The same is true of coffee, and wine. Cannabis is non-lethal, no matter how much you take of it. Whether medical or not, weed cannot kill you. It will actually benefit you. It is far safer and more effective at treating an array of conditions than the current dangers the pharmaceutical industry cooks in its labs. In fact, it is loaded with health benefits.

Medical Benefits of Marijuana in California

Evidence exists to prove that more than 200 different illnesses respond well to marijuana treatment. It is impossible to list all of them here, but people commonly use marijuana as an alternative medicine to treat these 10 widespread health problems:

1. Epilepsy

Cannabis plays a crucial role in controlling the frequency and severity of epileptic seizures. According to a study conducted by the Virginia Commonwealth University, marijuana contains the high levels of cannabinoids necessary to control spontaneous seizures. Patients worldwide report astounding success.

2. Alzheimer’s Disease

Delta-9-trahydrocanninol, or the active ingredient we know as THC, provides those with Alzheimer’s disease a viable treatment option. According to the Scripps Research Institute, THC prevents the acetylcholinesterase buildup of brain plaque inhibiting memory and cognition in sufferers.

3. Glaucoma

People have been using marijuana to treat glaucoma since the 1970s already. This disease blinds millions worldwide every year, despite the fact that sufficient evidence exists to show how cannabis reduces optic nerve-damaging intraocular pressure. It also aids in reversing deterioration.

4. Multiple Sclerosis

People have been using marijuana to treat multiple sclerosis for many years now. Clinical trials are providing evidence that THC and cannabinoids can act as muscle relaxants. Patients report fewer, less severe muscle spasms and episodes of spasticity. Cannabis also helps them manage associated pain.

6. Arthritis

Cannabis is a highly effective painkiller, and because it is natural and non-lethal, patients use it for all types of painful conditions, including the worst of them. Rheumatoid arthritis is so painful that patients cannot sleep. Marijuana reduces the inflammation, relieves the pain, and helps them get shut-eye.

7. Hepatitis C

Cannabis makes traditional drug therapy for hepatitis C more effective. The University of California at San Francisco published a study in 2006 showing how marijuana treats the severe side effects of hepatitis C medicines, such as nausea, fatigue, and muscle aches. It offers a complete virological cure.

8. Anxiety

Marijuana will calm you down or rile you up. The cause of this remains hotly debated. The strain you use is crucial. High THC strains can induce paranoia and worsen symptoms of anxiety in some people, but this is actually rare. The vast majority of anxiety sufferers prefer cannabis to prescription drugs.

9. Cancer

Both the American Cancer Society and the Food & Drug Administration agree that cannabinoids relieve vomiting and nausea in cancer patients and it helps them eat too. This is on official record. As an antibacterial, marijuana inhibits the growth of tumors, and in some cases, it even destroys them.

10. Morning Sickness

Peer-reviewed studies find that 92 percent of female cannabis users consider it highly effective at controlling morning sickness. The studies themselves show that it reduces vomiting and nausea significantly. Smoking may be unwise for pregnant women, but concentrates have no harmful effects.

Benefits of Smoking Pot in California

Cannabis is fast becoming the most beneficial plant known to man, and not just for economic and recreational reasons: Marijuana contains THC, terpenes, cannabinoids, and other medicinal properties that work naturally with our bodies to optimize health. The benefits of smoking pot are simply too many to name, and it does not injure, maim or kill its patients the way that pharmaceutical drugs do.

If you suffer from any of these conditions, you qualify for a Medical Marijuana Card in California. These are by no means the only illnesses the state recognizes for cannabis treatment, though. Pot-certified doctors are prescribing cannabis for most diseases these days, and if one writes you a recommendation letter, you have the legal right to grow, harvest, or purchase your medicine anywhere in the state.

Author Bio– John Levy is a professional blogger covering news and other topics related to health benefits of cannabis and related products. Currently, working for Pot Valet- a leading company to provide a medical marijuana delivery service in Santa Barbara, John loves to share research oriented work with others. Follow his company on Google Plus and Facebook.

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Conor Heffernan

Conor is currently researching Ireland's physical culture movement as a PhD student at University College Dublin. When not in the library or the gym, he likes to try his hand at writing....with mixed results.

7Comments

I have long been curious about the route of administration when cannabis is used medicinally. This seems to be the only medically prescribed substance which is most commonly taken by smoking.

Does smoking have greater medicinal value than isolating the active compounds and manufacturing pills with precise quantities? I’m by no means an expert, but it seems like that would be a much better way to narrow the dosing down to the correct measured amount needed for effective therapeutic value in treating pain, anxiety, etc. while minimizing the non-therapeutic intoxicating effects, and completely eliminating the cumulative injury to the lungs and potentially the cardiovascular and other bodily systems that comes from directly breathing in ANY kind of smoke (yes, even wood smoke from a campfire or a stove).

I’m afraid that I’m fairly inexperienced in this matter, maybe contact our guest blogger who has a lot more experience here? From what you’re saying it seems like smoking is an inefficient way of administering dosages. Maybe pill forms would be a more standard and medicinal of approaches?

I still cannot agree with this new hype. It’s still a gateway drug and right beside alcohol in my opinion. I think the drug itself may support many of the ideas in this article, however, we are humans and typically abuse nearly everything so it makes me wonder how these studies are done. Are they simply analyzing the drug itself or how the average user uses the drug… make sense. Great guest post though, I enjoyed it.

Hi there, how are you? From my own anecdotal experience, it has been a gateway for those I know who used it. Although that may be a reflection of the legal situation surrounding it. The person selling it rarely specialised in just one drug. In any case I agree with you that this is a well thought out and researched article. It makes for thought provoking reading and who knows, if it was legalised in my own country it may become a safer route!

I have heard so many wonderful things about how marijuana helps everything. I have been dealing with Multiple Sclerosis for 16 years and prescription drugs suck! I just started my blog about a month ago and it has been SO helpful for me. I am following your blog now and look forward to reading more of your great posts! Take Care!!